Bangor, Maine News Update: September 24, 2020

The Maine CDC reports 25 new cases of COVID-19 statewide and 38 more people who have recovered. Governor Janet Mills has added Massachusetts to the list of states that are exempt from COVID travel requirements. Visitors from Massachusetts will not be required to quarantine after arriving or get a negative test result before coming to Maine.

The Chief of Police in Dover-Foxcroft has been arrested. Officials haven't released many details but say Ryan Reardon is charged with aggravated assault and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. Reardon was the Sheriff of Kennebec County before joining the Dover-Foxcroft force 3 years ago.

A 57-year-old man has been arrested, in connection with a cold case investigation. 63-year-old Dorothea Burke was last seen 35 years ago, at a bar in Bucksport. Her body was found in Stockton Springs with evidence of blunt force trauma to the head. Kirt Damon, Sr. is charged with murder.

Maplecrest Rehabilitation Center in Madison, which has seen at least 39 cases of COVID-19 and 7 deaths related to the virus, has been revealed as not in compliance with several federal regulations put forth by the U.S. CDC. DHHS says the facility has 10 days to submit a plan of corrections or face consequences.

The city of Bangor announced this week that it will reopen the Maine Avenue facility for cardboard disposal, which was closed after it implemented the residential curbside waste program. The 96-gallon bins issued to each household are big, but many residents have complained that their cardboard recycling took up too much room. Bangor City Councilor Ben Sprague took to social media to tell residents, 'You asked...we listened.'

Autumn Gold Days are underway in Ellsworth, including a clinic on Saturday where folks can get their pets micro chipped. The SPCA of Hancock County will have a tent set up at Ellsworth Harbor Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both dogs and cats are welcome, for a reduced fee of thirty dollars.

Six Catholic Churches in the area are asking for residents to furnish sneakers for their 'My New Shoes' program. Because of the pandemic, parishioners can no longer grab tags with shoe sizes at participating churches, so they're encouraged to buy whatever children's sized shoes they want. The donations can be dropped off at participating churches in Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, and Winterport, and will then be distributed to area elementary schools.